Q:
power steering fluid is spilling between cap and reservoir. Is my pump bad?

asked by
Ralph
on
February 02, 2017

I added some "prestone asian" power steering fluid to top off to full, three days later getting whining noise and hard to turn. I emptied as much fluid as possible then topped off with ATF dexron II. Now, no whining but hard to turn and fluid overflows between cap and reservoir. I tried to clean the filter inside the reservoir, but still hard to turn and still fluid coming out. What to do next? I called a shop, they said my pump is bad. Help please, I'm broke.

My car has 180000 miles.
My car has a manual transmission.

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Hello, thank you for writing in. The vehicle is likely having issues with the power steering pump. The best way to decide without a doubt is to catch it in the act. You can do this by cleaning off the area, and having someone turn the steering wheel back and forth while you watch the suspected area. When it comes to the cost, consider the labor costs that you will pay in a shop, compare them to others, and compare them to the price of doing it on your own. Replacing the pump is not a terribly complicated fix, but you will want step by step instructions to make sure you are comfortable with the entire procedure. For more help resolving the issue, contact our service department and we would be happy to schedule an appointment.

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